Annual meeting of the Asylum Hill Congregational Ecclesiastical Society

1. The church’s receipts for the year were $15,526.67 received, $15,264.94 paid, and $261.67 in balance.
2. The Sunday School’s receipts for the year were $294.67 received, $279.82 paid, and $14.79 in balance.
3. The society enrolled six new members: George R. Hoskins, Charles W. Page, S. A. Simons, Clarence W. Seymour, Herbert E. Strong, and D. P. Wardwell.
4. Lewis Gordon complimented Guy Beardsley, the outgoing treasurer, for his service.
5. Charles Welles Gross said five windows in the apse remained to be finished and that these windows would be used to commemorate the pastorate of Joseph Hopkins Twichell.

1. It’s not entirely clear that the “Cummings property” and the “premises of Judge James Nichols” are the same property, but based on the article, they seem to be. What can be said is this:

• The only building on the property, per this meeting of the society, was a livery stable;
• A 1909 atlas of Hartford shows the property directly north of and adjoining the church property was owned by F. B. Cumming; and
• A search of the 1909 atlas did not find any property owned by James Nichols “northerly” of the church property.

2. It’s also not clear that Voorhees offered his enthusiastic support for the purchase of the property at the annual meeting, but it seems likely he did.

Atwood Collins, who was the chair of the society, urged Francis Bliss to stay on as clerk for another five years, so he could round out his service at 50 years.  Bliss responded that “there had not been many to hold the office before him and that he did not wish to be the last.”

1. “The property can be mortgaged back for the entire amount for a period of five years at 4 per cent, costing the society but $200 a year, a debt it can easily carry.”
2. Voorhees said “that the purchase was for the future needs of the parish and that the society ought to avail itself the present opportunity, as it would be well for the future development of the church and its community work.”
3. From Gordon’s report: “He spoke of the music being dignified, of high excellence, reverent and conducive to church worship and told how great an inspiration a large audience afforded the pastor, organist, and choir.  He touched upon the beneficial effect of the courtesy of the ushers in welcoming strangers at the church door.”

1. The property the society sought to purchase was north of the church on Huntington Street and was 58’ along the street and 188’ deep. Today the property would be the parking lot and the 1939-1940 addition to the parish house.
2. Lewis E. Gordon was the resident manager at the American Mutual Liability Insurance Company.
3. John Brownlee Voorhees was the senior pastor at they Asylum Hill Congregational Church.
4. Francis E. Bliss (not “A.” as the article reported) was president of the American Publishing Company, which published Mark Twain’s books.
5. Guy E. Beardsley was assistant secretary of Aetna Fire Insurance Company.
6. Charles Welles Gross was a partner at Gross, Hyde, and Williams.
7. James Nichols was president of the National Fire Insurance Company.

Unattributed.  “Asylum Hill church to buy near by land,” Hartford Courant, March 8, 1913, page 11.